12 New Year’s Eve dinner ideas

The best New Year's Eve dinner ideas

1. Baked wellington

This is a true celebratory classic, and we have plenty of wellington inspiration if you're planning to make one for New Year's Eve. There's the basic beef version, as well as twists such as pork, veggie, vegan and sausage in our ultimate wellington collection. And yes, the sausage version is essentially a giant sausage roll, a dish we'll always welcome with open arms.

Make our squash & blue cheese wellington

2. Seafood pasta

Silky pasta with fresh steamed shellfish makes a great meal for two, and is quick to make, so you'll have more time to enjoy yourself. Ask your fishmonger for advice on what's in season in December – expect clams, oysters and mussels – and pair your pasta with a wine, like a bright white with mineral notes to complement the seafood.

Make our spicy clam & kale linguine

3. Baked camembert pie

Even after several weeks of Christmas cheeseboards, we don't tire of eating cheese. If you're the same, serve up a melty, gooey cheese dish on New Year's Eve. The beauty of baking camembert until dippable is that you'll simply need to pop it in the oven and slice a baguette – there's hardly any other prep work to do. If you're feeling ambitious, wrap it in pastry and make our epic camembert pie, complete with a side of fresh winter coleslaw.

Make our baked camembert with brioche bun wreath

4. Beef short ribs

A joint of slow-cooked meat makes an impressive centrepiece when entertaining. Our roast beef recipes include a classic, showstopping bone-in rib joint and prosciutto-wrapped fillet, but if you fancy shaking it up, try serving beef short ribs. This thriftier cut is slow-cooked until tender, then served with dripping carrots and fancy gravy.

Make our twice-cooked beef short ribs

5. Curry

Curry is the perfect one-pot meal to cook for a special night in, as it can be easily scaled up or down depending on the size of your crowd. Our comprehensive collection of curry recipes includes regional Indian dishes, vegan satay curry and comforting dhal. Our choice for New Year’s Eve is this epic Old Delhi-style butter chicken, because any dish that involves ghee and cream is truly worthy of celebration.

Make our Old Delhi-style butter chicken recipe

6. Slow-baked gammon

Ham is a popular choice at Christmas time, but it can be enjoyed for almost any special occasion. Our sticky gammon recipe is a cross between a traditional festive ham and pulled pork. Serve with buns or rice, plus a sweet pineapple chutney to cut through the rich glazed meat.

Make our slow-baked sticky gammon recipe

7. Lobster mac & cheese

It’s almost impossible to improve on a classic macaroni cheese, but the relatively neutral base makes it perfect for adding some interesting, flavourful ingredients. On New Year's Eve, try a luxurious version made with lobster tails – nobody needs to know they came from the freezer aisle. For more inspiration, browse our macaroni cheese collection for more traditional versions, plus a vegan mac.

Make our lobster mac & cheese

8. Whole roast cauliflower

Cauliflower is a versatile ingredient that soaks up plenty of flavour. Take it to another level with festive pomegranate jewels and thick, creamy yogurt. For a veggie version, try our whole roast cauliflower with red wine & grains. Serve with a selection of colourful winter salads or tapas sides.

Make our whole roasted cauliflower

9. Smoky aubergine & pepper tagine

This is the perfect prep-ahead vegan dish. You can make a batch of our aubergine and pepper tagine ahead of time if you like to save yourself from too much work on the day, then put extra portions in the freezer for a rainy day. Why not serve with some of our quick and easy flatbreads to mop everything up.

Make our smoky aubergine & pepper tagine.

10. Lamb shoulder

Lamb shoulder is great, because most of the prep is done in advance – a low oven simply cooks the meat slowly while you get on with other things. Rosie Birkett’s lamb shoulder recipe uses a shallot, anchovy and multi-herb marinade, and is served with a lemony gremolata for freshness. If you have any leftovers, serve Rosie’s lamb shoulder & smoky aubergine flatbreads on New Year’s Day for a take on Turkish lahmacun, a dish that takes the concept of pizza to a whole new stratosphere.

Make our slow-roasted lamb shoulder

11. Squash steaks

Go meat-free and make our vegan-friendly butternut squash ‘steaks’. This recipe uses seasonal ingredients, including robust chestnuts and leafy cavolo nero, plus warm cumin and cinnamon to ramp up the flavour. Dairy-free coconut yogurt adds coolness and contrast to finish. This dish looks extra-special, but is an absolute cinch to put together.

Make our squash steaks with chestnut & cavolo nero pilaf

12. Stuffed bolognese pasta bake

This BBC Good Food magazine cover star caused a stir with readers and social media fans, and for good reason. It combines bolognese sauce with a pasta bake, and the results are magic. The pasta shells are stuffed with a mascarpone and mozzarella mixture to give the dish a deliciously cheesy element, as every good pasta bake should have.

Make our stuffed bolognese pasta bake

More New Year’s Eve inspiration...

New Year’s Eve menu plan
Alternative wellington recipes for NYE
The best ever New Year’s Eve party food
Top 10 New Year’s Eve cocktails
Cocktail recipes and tips
10 gin and tonics with a twist

How will you be celebrating on 31 December? Leave a comment below...